Believing the Devil's Advocate
by klcm
Summary: Garcia finds that believing someone over Morgan and the team might just have dire consequences for her
1. Death Separates Us

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N: **_Right, this is an idea that someone reviewed me a while ago, asking if I ever thought about writing the plot and if not, could I give it ago... So I am using it, and if you're reading this, seeing as there was no name =(, I hope you like what I did with your brilliant idea!_

_And I hope you all like what's going to play out! _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope looked at her workload and sighed, it was growing ever more mountainous as the days passed. Team A and team B were really collecting the cases lately and it was all put on her to keep on top of it, to make sure the technological side was all up to date. Not only did she have this, she had special requests from other units, from the director, from the she wolf, Strauss, herself. It was part of the job, or that was what she told herself, because it was. She wasn't just a technical analyst for nothing; her job required her to be ready for tasks like she was given. It just didn't stop them from clashing with one another and from getting overwhelming once in a while.

She had had no contact with anyone all day, or all week for that matter. It was just her, her computers and work.

It wasn't just her that had lost contact with the outside world, since Emily's death she had felt like the team had become divided. They had become individuals, not a team and however hard Hotch tried to pull them back together it just didn't work. Even he lost the battle this time around.

It saddened her how the presence of one another dwindled and disappeared, especially hers with Derek.

It reminded her fiercely of when Derek had become acting unit chief, how she seemed to be forgotten by him, how life really did just step up and take over.

She couldn't mistake they were still a family, because they were. Years had built that status, but Emily's death seemed to just put them into isolation from one another. It was all part of the healing, or so she made herself believe.

If she closed her eyes she could still envisage the last time she had a heart to heart with Derek, she could feel the buzz of emotions, the feel of his affection and tenderness, the lingering sensation of his kiss on her forehead, the longing in her heart as he left her apartment that night, and the feeling of dread she felt at seeing their lives change before their very eyes.

She didn't even need to think hard to remember how it ended either.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"_You sure you're going to be okay, Baby Girl?" Derek said as he stood in her living room, watching Penelope's actions carefully._

_Penelope looked up at him, shot him a sad smile before the tears began to flood again. In an instance she was surrounded with Derek's odour as his arms snaked around her and he kissed into her hair, kept her close and comforted her. _

"_It's not going to get better is it?" She asked him as she pulled back minutes later and looked up at him. "I mean, we're not going to recover from this. It was too close to home and he's still out there and Em's now in a box in the ground." _

"_It will get better," Derek almost promised her, even though deep inside he knew not to believe that. "I don't when, but it will and we'll find Doyle and we'll get closure." _

"_It's just not fair," She whispered, "It's not fair how everything's changing." _

"_Everything's not changing," Derek told her, "Don't worry your pretty little head about that. We're still here, we still have each other." _

_Penelope smiled a little at him then. "I kinda love you, Derek Morgan." She whispered even softer than before._

"_I know," He said and pulled her close to him. "I guess I better head off, don't want Kevin getting ideas." _

_Penelope looked stunned as Derek pushed away from her and all of a sudden was seeking an exit. Her brow furrowed, _everything's not changing,_ moments earlier he had said that but here he was wanting nothing more than to be out of her sight. Usually he was the first to rile Kevin with their friendship and now he was worried about his feelings. Usually he repaid her gesture of I love you's with his own amount as well._

_She felt the sting of tears hit the back of her eyes._

"_See you in a couple of days, Penelope," Derek told her, giving her a quick hug, a quick kiss to her forehead and then he headed down the hallway towards the stairs. _

_Penelope knew then, with the sudden lack of nickname used on top of it all, that death had brought them together for a limited time and now it was dragging them apart._

_She just hoped it didn't take anything too drastic to pull them back together._

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

The sting of that day hadn't lessened any.

If anything it was only made worse as the weeks cascaded into months and their communication became limited, the nicknames stopped, as did the signs of affection and the moments of pure tease.

It was like she was the tech of the team and they were the agents. They were just colleagues when deep down they were yearning for one another like the family they were.

She knew it had to change.

Looking at the time, Penelope decided she needed a bit of respite, she needed to get away from her thoughts the most, and from the place that felt more like a prison today than her sanctuary.

Sitting outside she felt some sense of peace lapse into her system, the fresh air filling her senses. She watched other people come and go and she just remained sitting there, getting the break she needed. She knew it was getting late and the basic home time was hours ago, but she had work and she wanted less to do before the next load took over so she was prepared to work well into the evening.

If there was one thing she knew she needed to do it was that she needed to fix them, she needed some way to help bring them back together. She needed to fix her superheroes and realise that they were a pack, they were a unit and they were one another's support system.

They just needed to see the light and she needed to gather the courage to be the one that fought for all of them.

At long last she smiled as if her life had meaning, had purpose. There was an ease and a promise in her day now.

Finally she saw a speckle of light.

Smiling a little more, she looked at her watch and then got up to go back to work.

Penelope walked back to her office, she felt like her body was more awake, now she had taken a break. She was ready to kill the pile of work, so she could go home and then arrange a team get together, something meant just for them. She was prepared to settle down for the rest of evening to work, to accomplish the work so she could show how capable she was of being competent and independent, even when her energy level was waning.

She was ready to be the best of the best again.

Except when she worked into her office she saw her plan go straight out of the window.

"Hello Penny," Kevin said as he span around in her seat, her desk wrecked already, his smile almost burning into her.

There, in front of her, was her own form of the devil's advocate.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	2. Believing the Devil's Advocate

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N: **_Right, if I have time in the morning, I might do a quick update, or be sneaky and have it already whilst I'm away, but I can't promise a dead certain update until Monday night at the latest... So...enjoy what's to be left for you ;)_

_Warning: VIOLENCE_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"K-Kevin," Penelope spluttered immediately, "What are you doing?" She asked going in, tidying her workspace up some, attempting to gain some control back, "Making a mess as usual."

"Oh I was called up to cover you, something about you had gone missing for too long." He said and watched her intently, "And something about you slacking," he continued.

Penelope was frustrated, she had been gone no longer than twenty minutes, no one could've missed her, and she had her cell on her, someone could have called if they needed her.

"We always knew that at one point or another you would start to weaken under the strain, under the title you've got yourself for being part of Agent Hotchner's team. All that pressure to live up to," Kevin continued to speak with venom.

"There isn't any pressure," Penelope stated back fiercely, "We don't pressure one another."

Kevin snorted some, "Let's be real, Penny, you're only the tech, hardly an agent or better like they are. They're all SSAs', not you though, you're just the tech. You don't have the guts to be better than that, you couldn't hack it, you're only meant to _hack_ using a computer." He stuck his two cents in and watched it attack Penelope, "They can chuck you away as and when they want and get the newer, better model."

Penelope laughed then too, "And you think it's going to be you?" She asked him, "You have gotta be kidding me. We all know I'm better than you, and that's how it is."

Ignoring her comment, Kevin smirked and continued. "As for Derek, he was really around to help you when me and Angelica hooked up wasn't he? I mean who's helping keep your bed warm at night now seeing as it isn't me?" He watched her expression, "Yeah I've seen how you've hardly interacted. It was him that called me down actually."

"Derek?" Penelope gasped.

"It was short and sweet. _Lynch we need you, Hotch will tell you why when you're here_." Kevin told her, "Well I've done all but one or two pieces of your work, and that won't take me long, so I guess you're excused."

Quickly grabbing her things, Penelope felt nothing else but the urge to flee and she did so. Cowardly too, she did it in front of Kevin, but only because she had no other option. It was well past shutting down time, and she was going to hang around to finish up, but seeing as Kevin had done that for her, she had no reason to stick around.

Penelope felt like she was completely spent as she walked down the corridor. As she walked passed the bullpen she looked in and noticed that Reid had left, as had Ashley and Derek didn't even look up, she felt her heart fall into her stomach some more. She felt her eyes sting.

"Work will always come first in his life, Penny. Not you; you'll never come first in anyone's life and that's just how it's meant to be."

She didn't realise how affected she was still with her break up from Kevin, but it seemed to wreak havoc on her and he seemed to keep her under his thumb.

"I had to move on because your job was more important than a man's love, your dream of loving him was more than your reality could keep up with and now look where it got you. You're lonely, while the men you loved most for at least some part of your life lives on perfectly fine..." he lent in then, "_Without _you."

"I never loved you," Penelope spat and then left, going towards the elevator, wiping her cheeks of the fleeing tears, keeping her head as high as she could to make Kevin believe that she was perfectly fine. She didn't need any more of his attitude and behaviour.

"You don't believe that," he shouted after her, "I'm going to go back to _my_ office now." Kevin shouted out as he walked back to Penelope's office, he knew the team would never get rid of her, she was too good, but he could torture her with possibilities for as long as he wanted.

It wasn't until Penelope got into the elevator and was thankful to be alone that she allowed her broken wall to fall completely on her and she cried out.

Kevin quickly tapped into the BAU's CCTV circuit and watched Penelope in the elevator, he wanted to feel bad, but the way he was now in life, was her fault. She had driven him to cheat on her, to become malicious with the words he said to her. It was all his way to have her finally notice him and he had let it get out of hand.

He watched her all the time she was within the BAU's facility.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope walked up the aisle in the store, trying to decide what would be the best self pity food, and all that took her fancy was ice cream and cheap wine. Heading to the fridge she stopped as a couple walked along holding hands, the man extremely similar to Derek and her heart stopped then, until the man looked up. It wasn't Derek at all, but some complete stranger. Her fear that he had settled down sticking with her fiercely.

She dipped her head and went on her way, rushing to get out into the air outside. As she walked outside, she noticed how dark it had gotten all of a sudden on her and she felt the chill of the night setting in.

As walked towards her car along the sideway, Penelope felt a feeling of foreboding, her gut telling her something was wrong and so she fastened her paced, trying to rid her body of the impending doom feeling she had.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and just as she was nearing her car, she was grabbed from behind and pulled back into the alleyway.

She could see her orange caddy just in view, but she was being dragged away from it.

Within moments she went from light to dark, her body held against the wall of the alleyway, a hand over her mouth, another hand roaming her body, checking her pockets, grabbing stuff as he so pleased.

All the time he was silent, it was just Penelope's muffled sobs and screams that rang out.

She then, out of instinct, did the one thing she could think, she bit down on his palm and fought to get free.

He pulled his hand away from her and she went to run, but he was stronger and grabbed her one handed and pinned her back against the dank wall with his hand clasped around her neck.

"Please," she fought against the lack of air in her throat from his voice, "Please, ju-just let-t me go." She gasped, her hands coming up to get him off.

Penelope watched the look in his eyes, the pleasure he was getting at watching her struggle and she knew she wasn't going to be walking out of this alleyway with just her money missing. Fearing the worst she fought harder, scratching him, and it was as she ripped at the skin on his hands that he threw her down, against the wall furthest from the exit.

Penelope lay stunned as her body reacted to hitting both the wall and the floor. She heard his footsteps but her body was delayed in responding and by the time she had started to get back up, she was back down, this time at the will of his kicks, his heavy boots connecting with her sides. Immediately the air in her lungs was taken from her.

Losing the will to keep a grip, Penelope knew she was done for, that this man had won.

Then, all of a sudden, the kicking stopped and he left her. She heard him rummaging in her purse, spilling its contents everywhere on the gravelled floor. She thought for a moment that if she could just get up, she could leave him, let him have her money.

But he sensed her new moves and then went back to her, picking her up again he held her against the wall, "Where do you think you're going?"

"Home," she sobbed weakly. "Pl-ple-ease just let me g-go home."

"Who said I was done with you?" He asked her as if a casual everyday question.

Penelope knew the answer as round two of hell was released and her thoughts clouded then. She wouldn't have been here if it wasn't for Kevin, and if it wasn't for the team's lack of confidence in her ability. She would still be at the BAU if it wasn't for their interference and for once as it got harder to keep a grip, Penelope hated them.

For eternity she felt like she had been thrown into the bowels of hell and left there.

Laying there in the sheer silence, Penelope moved her head, the blood blotting her lashes more and more with each new blink, she looked at the sidewalk that sat in the light of the shop just ahead of her.

She just had to find a way to get to a more open area, she needed to get help, but her body was in refusal.

Slumping, admitting defeat, she looked out; her vision obscured with the swelling and the mess of blood, the gravel digging into her cut and grazed face more so than before. She felt the sting of her own tears as they flooded and fell from her eyes and hit the new cuts. She wanted to scream out, she wanted to find her phone and call someone, her mind screamed for her to somehow get Derek, but she knew full well her phone was long gone.

Just as she was giving up, a car pulled up in the space directly opposite the alley way and she felt herself become emblazoned by the headlights.

"Shit!" She heard a man's voice say, "Hon, ring for an ambulance," He coached the person with him, "Now!"

As Penelope slipped into the gentle ease of darkness she felt the man next to her, and all she had to do was utter her name to him before she could sleep.

But even that was proving the most painful of commands.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	3. What Feels Like Years

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N: **_So I got to update! Bit action packed for a bit! Thanks for all the reviews, alerts and favourites! _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

It felt like hours since Penelope had been laying on the bridge of dark and light in that alleyway. Hours since she remembered being unhurt, hours since she saw anyone's face that meant her no harm.

She remembered hazily how she had passed in and out of consciousness in the ambulance, and begged them not to call anyone for her, and how that same demand was asked when she was put in the emergency room and she had been examined and told she needed to stay in for observation of her injuries.

Now Penelope lay in the hospital bed, her mind rolling back over her attack, feeling him hit her, kick her, weaken her. She could remember how his hands felt as he threw her into the shadows of the alleyway and she remembered even more how she felt when he just left her on the floor, right by the edge of light, the struggle to just move even an inch forward too much effort.

Even now, after receiving the appropriate help and attention, the pain was growing ever more powerful; this time the mental damage was wreaking havoc.

She wiped her face free of tears again.

After leaving the BAU in anger, after allowing Kevin to break her self esteem and allow his words to worm into her brain, she had left thinking that they really questioned her ability, and felt of her as weakening under working for two teams at once. All she had done is kept that feeling with her and allowed the hospital to believe that there was no one for her to call, that there was no one she wanted them to call.

So she was left all alone in one of the places she found scariest.

All she wanted to do was go to sleep and wake up in the morning and hopefully get discharge papers. She wanted to go home and forget this happened. Her mind rallied around potential excuses why she wouldn't be in work tomorrow, something other than she had multiple broken ribs, a head injury, minor internal tears, a body covered in cuts and abrasions.

She just needed an excuse to hide for a couple of days for her to get to grips with covering up, a way to learn to hide the truth, to not show them how wrong she had been without them knowing.

Maybe when she was able to, she would tell them that she wasn't with Kevin any longer, that their relationship had gone totally sour on them, and for more reasons than just artistic differences.

She sighed, trying to gain some strength and courage.

Tomorrow marked the first day as her a victim, tomorrow would mean she had to speak to the police about it and start a new day with the fear that the person behind this would get caught and her fear of being alone would finally disappear and leave her some peace and sanity.

Tomorrow marked a lot.

Feeling the burst of pain in her side, Penelope moved, thinking it was just an aggravated soreness. As she turned onto her back she felt the pain throb harsher, splitting all over her chest and with it her breathing kept catching and she felt like she couldn't get the right amount of oxygen into her lungs.

At first she thought she could curb the problem on her own, allow her body to settle, thinking it was just like it from moving from one position of another.

She had never been beaten or mugged in her life, she didn't know what it felt like to be like this, she had no idea how much pain she would be in, or for how long. She could only guess.

However, her body didn't settle down, the pain didn't soften when she didn't move again, her breathing didn't recapture its rhythm; it just all got worse.

In a panic she hit the button for the nurse as it got harder and harder to breathe properly, her nerves shattering, her mind screaming for help, her throat seemingly closed and unable to speak the words she wanted.

In that moment, like the one back in the alleyway, Penelope wanted Derek, she wanted someone that always made her feel better, made her feel safe. Now as she lay there with nurses running in, the feeling for urgency gaining momentum, she didn't want to be alone any longer.

It was as the world around her got hazy, and she started to taste blood on the back of her throat she realised one thing and one thing only amongst the feeling that something deadly had gone wrong.

The team had her best interests in heart all along.

They had asked for Kevin's assistance to help her out, to give her a bit of a stress reliever, to help make her day easier and she had completely blanked that. They hadn't asked him for help to get rid of her.

She had ignored them all, had let Kevin win, and now here she was, feeling like God had decided her fate.

Her team were still a family after all.

"Derek," She tried to say and could feel the edge of his name on her lips, even with the struggle she needed them to call him, "Derek," she said again, "Call Derek."

Her agitation grew as they tried to calm her, she needed to know that if she made it out to the other side of this torture there was going to be someone there she trusted and loved, someone that would be willing to help her. She just knew she didn't want to be alone.

Even when it got difficult she kept repeating his name, trying to speak the numbers, she just needed an easier way to communicate with them and a way that was fast.

She then heard even more commotion, the doctor demanding they move and her fear grew ever more present and she felt her tears gather and fall as the pain and panic ran rapid through her body.

"She's giving us a contact number," One of the nurses said, finally getting the one thing that had worried her throughout her shift, she slid a pen into Penelope's hand and hoped that she was able to write the number down. She had found people on Penelope's file, but Penelope was in a stable condition, and of able mind, so she had to trust her decision to not have anyone there, but the moment Penelope had gasped Derek's name she knew the man on her file was the one she was asking for. She just needed Penelope to have some form of mental relief.

The moment Penelope wrote the last number her hand fell and she gave in.

She let the darkness and dread swamp her.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	4. Seeming To Always Need You

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N: **_So I'm back and hoping to get this story sussed out properly! Thanks for the reviews, favourites and alerts... enjoys what's ahead, we're not near an end yet! _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

When she opened her eyes again she could hardly believe she had made it. Nor could she quite believe how numb her body was, and how heavy one of her hands felt. She took a few moments to gather her thoughts, she remembered vague moments from the moment she got a nurse to take down Derek's number, to her being taken into the operating room.

And now, she took in the new room, the new bleeping of the heart monitor, the oxygen tube on her nose, the chest tube coming out of her side. She knew the real damage was even clearer now.

She then remembered the heaviness and began to look down at its caused, trying not to get her hopes up.

It was as her eyes settled on the top of Derek's head as he slept on her hand that she began to feel the real sobs make themselves known.

He had come to her. He had cared enough to come to her.

She closed her eyes as her body finally felt everything, all the pains came back subtly and they cascaded her body in waves, in and out, in and out. She realised then, that she had never felt more relieved in her life to see her chocolate God of thunder as he slept by her bedside.

She now knew everything was going to be okay.

"Pen..." Derek said as he shot up all of a sudden after hearing her weak sobs crack through into his light sleep.

Penelope felt her heart clenched, the reality of it all came back to her then. Nothing had changed at all, there was still the divide, they were still distant. She knew that just by his initial use of her first name.

Derek stood up then, leaning on the bed lightly, "Baby Girl," he breathed out in a relief filled smile, his eye glistening with unshed tears, "You've had me so scared, Gorgeous," he told her and ran a hand over her face, ignorant of the oxygen tube.

Penelope bathed in this moment, revelled in its perfection.

"They said you were attacked," He prompted her and her eyes opened as much as they could with the ever growing swelling that was now coming out, "They told me you were fine, but then you had problems. I only got the call when all they could say was you were in surgery."

"What happened?" Penelope asked him, her voice dry and whisper riddled, she looked up at him, "I _was_ fine, and then it got kinda scary."

"One of your ribs had caused a small, insignificant puncture in your lung during the attack, it was so small it wasn't picked up and wasn't problematic, but the doctor said that the more it was left, the more the puncture grew. That's what caused your struggled breathing."

Penelope closed her eyes, trying to settle her heart rate that she could feel in her chest, and hear on the monitor, getting worse.

"Shh," Derek soothed, leaning in to kiss her forehead, "You're safe now, Baby. I won't let him get you now."

"I didn't see him," She whispered, "I just wanted to go home and forget about today, but he-he, he came out of nowhere."

Derek's brow furrowed, "Why would you want to forget about today?" He asked her gently.

Penelope looked at Derek, her head beginning to pound again, "Me and Kevin broke up," she started and saw Derek's face looked pitiful. "J-just after Emily," She added on top of it. "I found him with a woman in bed, they're now madly in love."

"In two months?"

Penelope shrugged weakly, "It wasn't the best break up, and then-then-"

"Then you found out we asked him to help out with your work load?" Derek asked and Penelope nodded and looked away from his gaze.

"I felt so betrayed that you thought that little of me, that I needed help." Penelope started and felt Derek's grip tighten on her hand, "It wasn't until after I was attacked that I realised that you only did it to help me." Her eyes snapped up to his then in terror, "What if that had been it? My last thoughts would've been that you didn't trust me with my job, that you didn't have faith in me to do it? I would've died thinking that when really you were just looking after me, even when I thought we had separated."

Derek stopped her then, "Never think that we would question your ability, P." Derek soothed, "We just wanted to lighten the load a bit. Hotch and Rossi had been picking up that you were at work more than you were at home. We just didn't think you and Kevin were anything but loved up. We thought he would be more than willing to help."

"Believe me, he was," Penelope said lowly, her mind racing back and forth the more she woke up, the more the fog from the anaesthetic wore off. Penelope looked p at him again, her face drawn with seriousness, "Why don't you go home?" Penelope asked him as her body absorbed everything, the slightest movements paining her all over again. "You've gotta get up for work soon."

"Because I'm needed here and the most important thing in my life needs me right now." Derek watched Penelope as she began to cry silent tears, ones that seemed to transcend into body wrenching sobs within sheer seconds, "Hey, hey, hey, you gotta calm down, Baby Girl." He told her, "This isn't good for you."

"I thought you had forgotten about me," Penelope sobbed at him, the pains in her chest from the new wound inflicted in the act of saving her life being exacerbated, "You don't talk to me so much anymore. I just thought you'd-d forgotten me."

Derek's heart broke, and in a quick moment of reflection he realised that that was how it looked. "I'm sorry, for ever, ever making you feel that way, Penelope. That was never my intention. It's just been hard for me since Emily's death to get my head around things. Just- never believe that I forgot about you."

"I really need you," She told him as she calmed some. "I seem to always need you."

"Nothing wrong with that, Princess," He calmed her woe, he loved that she needed him so much. "You need me for however much longer you need me."

Penelope smiled a little, "Thank you," she calmly whispered to him, "But why don't you go home?"

Derek smiled a little, as he noticed her tiring, "I love you, Baby Girl, but there's nowhere else and nothing else that I would rather be doing right now, but being here. I refuse to leave your side again, now I know I have every opportunity not to, I'm not." Derek calmed her as her need for sleep took over her damaged body.

"Please don't leave me," Penelope said, her tone filled with so much sorrow and heart ache, "Please be here."

"Like I said, I've got nowhere else to go."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	5. Mending A Family

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N: **_Thanks as always guys! You lot rock! _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"It-it was dark," Penelope started shakily, "I didn't see him."

"Ms. Garcia, maybe if you just started from the top, you may remember certain details." The detective prompted her; it was obvious from his tone that he wasn't up for her lack of detailing. "Height, eye colour, anything like that will help."

Penelope looked down as her vision swum into one, "I don't remember him." She started, "He grabbed me as I went to my car, I had my back to him until he had me up against the wall. Even then it was dark, I couldn't see him."

"Height?" The detective prompted.

Derek growled lowly, they had been on this same circuit for nearing half an hour and Penelope was tiring and getting too emotional. "You've been asking the same damn questions for long enough. If she didn't remember it then she won't remember it now with force, will she?"

"Sir, we're just trying to catch Ms Garcia's attacker."

"I know that, believe me I do, but she had surgery only hours ago, she doesn't have the strength for the pressure or stress. She needs to rest. Do that and she might remember."

"We need to get as many details as possible while it's fresh."

"I know that," Derek bit back, "I just don't think she's ready for the pressure."

Penelope had been studying the detective while Derek took charge, watching his annoyance, watching him try and do his job. She didn't have much memory of the attack, whether it was down to the haziness of the drugs or just her mind making her forget but every moment of the attack was clouded until one moment as she stared off it all seemed to come back to her in one long wave. "He was about an inch taller than you, maybe an inch and a half." She spoke up gradually. "His face was round, his voice was deep, almost hoarse and he smelt like cheap aftershave, and cigarettes and-and oil." Her gaze was cast at the wall, but the look she had told them she was far from reality. "He was strong." She said as her eyes glazed with tears, "He seemed too strong." She said as the tears fell, bringing her back to reality, "Scarily strong."

Derek watched Penelope begin to sob then, her weakened body convulsing with the new release, he just climbed onto the bed to give her the best bit of comfort he could, "Is that enough for now?" Derek asked, his tone heated, "Or do you want to bully more out of her?"

"I think we'll go on what we have." He spoke apologetically, "If we need anything who do we call?"

"Derek Morgan," He told them, "Penelope's going to have a change of address for a while too. Is it okay if I get all that to you later?" He asked, looking over his shoulder, refusing to let Penelope go for the moment.

"Sure," The detective said and pulled a contact card out, "I'll leave this here." He said and placed it on the table on the end of the bed, "If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to contact myself or any of my colleagues."

"Thank you," Derek said and turned his complete attention back to Penelope, "Did good there, Baby."

Penelope finally parted with him, her body still no calmer than it was, but she knew she couldn't stay forever in Derek's arm, no matter how much she wanted to. She felt him help her back down against the pillows gently and she closed her eyes to help wash in the composure.

"You okay?" Derek asked her softly, his worry conveying through in his tone. He watched her nod slowly, "Why don't you just sleep, I'll be here."

Penelope opened her eyes as much as she could, "Derek?" She said, even with blurry vision she was still able to recognise when he was listening to her, "I'm sorry for doubting you," she murmured to him. "It was stupid of me, and it got me here. If I had listened to myself, and not to Kevin, I wouldn't have left work last night so angry. I would've still been in work sorting through that work."

Derek shook his head, "I want you to listen to me here." He said to her, his tone serious, "This was not your fault. We all played a part, not just you. We never asked what was right for you and we should've asked rather than assumed. It's true, Emily's death consumed us, and it shouldn't have, Emily wouldn't have wanted that. She would've have wanted us to stick together.

"I really miss her," Penelope said in a low tone, her tears starting up. "Everything was okay before that."

Derek's heart bled at that confession, there was so much conviction to Penelope's weakened tone; the undertones spoke more than the volume itself. He had to close his eyes; it scared him how much life had changed when he had said it wouldn't.

"You said nothing was changing," Penelope said her body caving slowly to the exertion of emotional energy, "Everything changed the day we buried her. The moment you kissed my forehead that day it all changed."

"I know," Derek admitted lowly, his body ignited with guilt and regret, "I promise nothing else is going to change. From today onwards nothing else changes."

Penelope looked into his eyes, she saw his own tears forming then and the only thing she could do with her dwindling energy and rising tiredness was nod in agreement and take his hand.

She felt him kiss her forehead, but unlike the day of Emily's funeral, she knew nothing was really going to change.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"Have they caught the guy who did this?" Hotch asked as he and Rossi stood outside Penelope's room in the ICU with Derek.

Derek looked in on her for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck, "No, they haven't." Derek told them and looked at them both. "She managed to give them as much as she could, but she's not in any frame of mind for that sort of pressure. It's not going to help her recovering in any way."

"You know it's just his job," Rossi told Derek, stating the obvious, "You've done it once or twice I'm sure."

"But this is Penelope," Derek said, his tone almost helpless. "I don't get why this had to happen to her."

"The same reason it happens to us all," Rossi sympathised and turned and walked to window to look in on Penelope, "So how bad?"

"She's got broken ribs on both sides, punctured lung, internal tears, head injury, cuts all over her body, bruises everywhere else. It's too early to tell what psychological damage was caused." Derek told them truthfully, "Thankfully, he didn't sexually assault her."

"Do they know if it was random or not?" Hotch asked, his arms crossed over his chest.

"They don't know," Derek told them both solemnly, "They won't know until either there's another threat or another attack like this."

Hotch nodded, "Okay, so what's the plan?" He asked and looked from Penelope to Derek, "What's recovery looking like?"

"Six weeks minimum for the ribs alone, the damage to her lung and the amount of rest she gets makes it hard to tell when she'll be completely healed." Derek continued, "The doctor hasn't even put a limit on when she's getting out of here. Her breathing's still a little laboured so until they're confident enough to move her from here they can't give a discharge date."

"Well then we'll just have to take it day to day," Rossi told them both, slapping a reassuring hand on Derek's back before heading into the room to take a seat.

Derek smiled then, it was light, almost ghostly, but it was there. Derek had faith that they were getting their shot to make every right again.

As a proper family again.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	6. Let Me Go

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N: **_So we're getting somewhere slowly... Enjoy!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Sucking in a deep breath, Penelope tried to shift some in the bed, all in a bid to get comfortable. It was as she started to struggle that she felt Derek's hand come to her aid and help her.

"Better?" He asked her, a faint smile on his face.

"I'd be even better if you went home." Penelope fought back as she took in his tired eyes, the stubble getting ever more evident. "I like the rough and rugged look, Handsome, but not under these circumstances."

"Well," He said as he sat on the edge of the bed, "I like having a wakeup call by my favourite girl, but not under these circumstances, so I guess we both lose."

Penelope pouted then.

"Na uh, not gonna work on me, Princess." He spoke to her, his tone so full of emotions; the worry, the concern, the love, the anger, the playfulness. "How you feeling today?"

Shrugging, Penelope just looked over the visible damage, "It's gotta get worse before it gets better right?" She asked him as if it were any other casual question.

Derek just nodded and sat down himself.

He watched Penelope's serene face as she settled down a little, the ease on her face showing how relaxed she was. He had noted, that when he left the room she tensed up, her body went rigid, her hands fiddled with the bedding nervously, but the moment he entered the room and she saw him for herself, she relaxed

"Baby," Derek started, getting her attention, "You up for talking a little?" He asked her gently, if she declined then he would leave it until the next day.

Penelope bit her lip, but relented, "I guess."

Derek moved his chair to be closer to her bed, and then took her hand, "Kevin," He started and felt her tense in front of her, "What did he do exactly?"

"What didn't he do," Penelope mumbled under her breath, she snapped her head up to look at him, "When exactly?" She asked him.

"How about you tell me what happened after Emily's death, when did it all go wrong?"

Penelope looked into Derek's eyes, "It was kinder turning into a sinking ship well before Emily's death." She admitted softly, "We were just, I don't know, we stopped acknowledging the other. I know when it started was when I got asked to take on team B's cases too, but Kevin was changing." Penelope paused.

"It happens," Derek comforted her.

Penelope nodded, "I just never thought it would happen to me."

"That's natural."

"He's going to get his wish now isn't he?" Penelope fretted then, her eyes streaming, "He's going to get my job."

"Whoa, Baby, why would you think that?"

"I know recovery is going to take a while, and Strauss isn't going to like that. Plus, my life is technically in her hands. What if she decides that when I'm better I need relocating? What if she ships me off to some other state?" Penelope's agitation blew then, her chest heaving with the oncoming sobs and woes, "I don't want to start over."

"You aren't going anywhere, P," Derek vowed, and leant in, bringing his hand up to her face to calm her and wipe her tears.

"You don't get to decide though," Penelope sobbed, "Plus I did the one thing I wasn't supposed to do."

"What's that?" Derek urged her softly, "What weren't you meant to do?"

Penelope closed her eyes, the one thing that affected her the most was the one thing that was balanced on her lips, "I fell in love with the wrong person." She said and dissolved into a new wave of tears, her chest hurting but the exertion, but she couldn't stop. Penelope looked at him, bruised and swollen eyes staring right into him, seeking out his soul, "I wasn't meant to fall in love with you, Derek. I'm sorry."

Derek was completely stunned by her admittance, by her declaration.

Penelope hiccupped, "I tried not to, God I did, but I couldn't help it. I was told not to fall in love with anyone I worked with, and I thought I could do that, but then I met you and for the first time in years my life seemed to have meaning an-and the more I got to know you, and the more you became a part of my life the more I realised I was in love with you." Penelope looked down as their hands sat separate now, their fingertips barely touching, "I wasn't going to tell you, I knew it would ruin us, but it's hurting me to hold it in any longer. I don't want you to be here, and look after me, make me love you more, for you to make a life with anyone else." She continued to watch their hands, refusing to look at Derek's horrified expression, but her body was refusing to cooperate, she needed rest and so she slumped back and looked at the wall opposite. "Plus you don't need me in your life. The last couple of months proved that. It's only me that needs you."

The moment she finished her triad, she regretted it. The moment she heard no response she realised she had just ruined what she had just gotten back. Slowly she felt the room get smaller, it all became claustrophobic and she needed to get out, she needed air.

Derek could hear his heart beating in his ears, could feel it beating in his throat and he just watched the tears as they slid down and over Penelope's grazed cheek, as she began to sit up, tearing away the EKG pads, the oxygen tube. It was as he saw her struggle to get out of the bed that he seemed to gain life again and sprung into action.

"Just let me go," Penelope sobbed, her head falling towards his chest, Derek's hands stuck to her arms, stopping her from leaving

Derek had heard that sentence before, they had slipped from Emily's lips months ago, one of the last sentences he heard from her and he refused to lose Penelope in any form.

He was finally taking a leap of faith.

"I'm not letting you go anywhere," Derek told her as he helped her lay back down. He knew, from the doctor's advice, that she needed rest and copious amounts of it and getting up and about right at this moment wasn't going to help her much.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything," Penelope relented, seeing as she couldn't run, all she could do was apologise. "I don't know why I did it."

Derek gave her a calm smile, "You did it because you're in love and I'm sorry I didn't react at first. I've never had a woman tell me how in love she is with me, how long she's been in love with me for. It shocked me, Baby, that's all, and for that I'm sorry, but understand that the moment I got your name wrong I fell in love." Penelope looked at him doubtful, "And never think I managed to live without you, all I've wanted the last couple of months is you, but work took over and we fell apart." He told her, his voice gather momentum, and nerves that she wouldn't believe me. "I'm scared you'll never think I could love, I'm so scared to lose you."

Penelope had to smile at that moment, "Seems we're both on the same wavelength."

Derek let out a deep breath and leant in close to her, "Just never give me the opportunity to have to pace a hospital for you please. I don't think my heart could take it."

"Scare tactics," Penelope said calmly, a faint cheeky grin on her lips, "All part of my master plan, Stud."

"They're working," Derek said as he moved to the other side of the bed and climbed on with her, holding her in his arms, wary of the chest tube. He just knew Penelope needed human contact just like he did at that moment. "Believe me they're really working their magic."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	7. Turn Of Events

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N: **_Hope you like what's in store guys! Thanks for all the reviews, alerts and favourites as always!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope smiled as, later that day, Derek took her hand in his and brought it up his lips. In the moment of bliss, came the memories.

"You're hands feel perfect," Penelope said lightly, her gaze looked way off, as if she was day dreaming. "They're not coarse, or too strong, they're just perfect." Penelope brought her free hand up to run on her neck, soothing it some, feeling the softness when her mind remembered the man's rough hand clasp around her throat.

"You can tell me about it," Derek told her tenderly, "I mean if you want to."

Penelope looked at him, "I thought he just wanted my cash, but he didn't." Penelope told him calmly, steadily, "I thought that after the first round he was going to take my stuff and leave me there."

Derek closed his eyes, he could sympathise with Penelope, but he would never truly know what was going on in her head whilst the man attacked her. He was only able to deal with the aftermath, deal with what was left behind.

"Just after he grabbed me, he started to strangle me with one hand, he was that strong, Derek," Penelope said and looked at Derek, "I seriously thought that that was it... until he threw me." She continued, her voice not withholding from the build up of tears, "I tried to get away from him, but he stopped me and told me he wasn't done with me." She then let the tears spill then, "He just left me there, when he was done he got to walk away."

"You did too," Derek finally spoke, "Baby, you're here because you held on. I know right now, you're fragile and you're having trouble trusting anyone, but believe me that this will all make sense one day."

He could read her disbelief.

"There are reasons why we survive the most horrible things. There are reasons why we're put through things like we are; why we're tested so much in this life." He told her, his belief in that held strongly in every syllable. "He might have walked away, but trust me when I say that if I ever have the opportunity to I'll show hi-"

"No fighting talk," Penelope hushed him tenderly, "I know how tough you can be when you wanna be. I saw you hit the wall just after you left my room when I was shot. You act out, and I don't want to lose you for doing something violent."

"He hurt you," Derek whispered, he meant that loosely, he meant for when Battle hurt her and this unknown attacker. "I don't know what else I can do to help make this better."

Penelope brought a hand up to cup his face, "Be here and you've done your part."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Waking up, Penelope noticed the light change outside; telling her it was late afternoon. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to gather some sense, but she jumped when she heard someone in the room with her.

There in front of her was JJ and Reid, both sitting separately, but talking quietly about one thing or another.

She smiled, it had seemed like a lifetime ago since she had witness their own form of banter.

Not noticing their change of attention at first, Penelope slowly became aware of them watching her, both with equal concern.

"Hey," She said impishly, her voice raspy.

JJ smiled, rising from her seat to get closer to Penelope's bedside, "Hey Garcie," JJ started, her eyes welling, "You really know how to scare people."

Penelope smiled a little, "You're telling me," She told them and looked at Reid, "You okay down there, Sweetie?"

Reid nodded, "Better now," He told her, his eyes hadn't lost the sadness since Emily's death and right at that moment it only seemed to shine brighter than ever.

Penelope looked over at the door, scoped the corridor then her hospital room before looking back at them both, "Where's Derek?" She asked them, slightly confused and lost at his absence.

JJ smiled, "He, Rossi and Hotch have gone to change the locks to your apartment, get some clothes to put at Derek's and then they're going to get Esther from the parking lot of the store."

"He's coming back right?" Penelope asked agitatedly, "He said he wouldn't be leaving."

"I forced him to go," JJ told her, "He needed to get some air, and I thought he would be best sorting things. Feeling like he was doing something to help you out." JJ told her and took her hand, "I'm sorry this happened to you, Penelope."

Penelope looked at their hands as they sat together and she felt her walls cracking, "You've got nothing to be sorry about. It could've happened to anyone," Penelope told her.

JJ nodded, trying to accept that but she couldn't, "I came by yesterday, but Derek said you were sleeping a lot and we had came at the wrong time." JJ said apologetically, "I'm sorry we fell apart," She told Penelope, her tone still holding onto the apology.

"Will you stop apologising, Kitten," Penelope replied softly, "You're here now and that's all that matters."

JJ couldn't miss the sadness that Penelope harboured. How okay she was making the moment for them all when really she looked close to breaking down.

"Tension pneumothorax," Reid said to himself and when both looked at him they saw him reading Penelope's chart, he looked up innocently, "What?"

"Having a good read?" JJ asked him as she twisted to look at him, her eyebrow cocked some.

"I was just looking at what we're up against," He stated calmly, pointing to the chart. "I think Penelope managed to scare the hospital."

Penelope laughed at that, and JJ shook her head and turned back to face Penelope, a smile on her lips.

"There were some cards in _your_ office," JJ said, plying on the emphasis of it being her office. "Derek told me about Kevin, and seriously, when I see him he will be getting it." She watched Penelope go to stop her, "You don't get a say in the matter and by the looks of it you won't be getting near work for a while so you can't stop me."

"You don't play fair," Penelope groaned, "Plus, I want to forget about Kevin."

"Well you can, what I do on the sidelines is my business and after hearing what he told you, Garcie, I am not letting him get away with this." JJ told her, "Why didn't you come to me when you found him and the two bit whore together? I would've been there."

Penelope closed her eyes, hating the truth of the matter, "You wouldn't have," Penelope admitted, "Since the day you told us Emily died and then you came back to work with us, you've not been the same. I didn't feel like you would appreciate me just turning up a complete mess. I'm sorry; Jayje, but I can't hide how I've felt the last couple of months."

"I'm glad you didn't," JJ covered up, offering Penelope a watery smile. "I'm sorry I skipped out on being a good friend."

"You're here now," Penelope told her back as a tear fell down her cheek, "That's all I wanted."

JJ nodded and wiped the tears away from her lashes, "Right cards." She said and grabbed them from her bag and handed them over to Penelope.

They read some of them; JJ making Reid put them up around the room wherever he could find a space.

Penelope picked up a white crumpled envelope, taking no notice of the oil stain on one corner and opened like the others.

_Found in one piece I see. _Was all it read, and Penelope knew in an instance there was only one culprit, JJ had obviously sensed the connation between the card and Penelope.

"How does he know you're work?" JJ asked her, her tone showing her suspicion.

Penelope's hand were shaking, something she tried to stop, "He has my badge. He'd know where I work just from that." She then looked up at Reid and then at JJ, her breathing beginning to become pick up painfully, "Does this mean he's after me?"

For once, JJ and Reid had no answers to offer.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	8. Needing A Hero

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N: **_So you all liked the little twist at the end there ;) Thanks for the great reviews guys, hope you like what's to come!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"I don't think it's wise for her to leave just yet," The doctor advised as they stood outside in the corridor hours later. "I'm not saying a dead certain no, but it wasn't just a little bit of damage that occurred to her lung, it was remarkable damage. Plus there were the multiple internal tears...I ideally want her in for another couple of days before I'm fully confident that she's nearly at 100 percent."

"Okay, so if we were to take her home; we'd just have to be really conscious and aware of any changes?" Derek asked, he was nervous, he was worried and he wanted to get the son of a bitch that seemed to be taunting Penelope.

"Right at this moment, it's necessary that she has the least amount of stress going on around her. Her body sustained an enormous amount of damage; most people don't do this well after surgery as Penelope is." The doctor stressed to them, "Can you not allow another 24 hours?"

"Yes, we can," Hotch relented and looked at Derek, "We've all got Penelope's best interests in mind here, Morgan, but Penelope's health has to be secure before we can do anything."

"I just want her safe," Derek told him.

"I'll get security up here to guard the door," The doctor helped, "Only authorised people can go in. For that I would need a list from you who would be the most likely to be in with her, and I'll give you a list of the nurses that have and will be attending to Penelope's care." The doctor continued with understanding, "But that's the best I can do."

"You've done more than you have had to do," Hotch told her, his tone full of gratitude, "Thank you."

"You can go back into her," The doctor told them professionally, "Her progress is slow, but I'm confident with her recovery. When she does get out of here, I would advise that she sit or lay as much as possible. The damage to the ribs is going to be very evident when she stands for long or for even short periods of time."

"We can do that." Hotch said and thanked the doctor before watching Derek bolt back into the room. "Derek, you need to let her do her job," Hotch said as he followed, "She's just doing her job."

"I know, but I just want to make sure Penelope's completely safe," Derek bit back.

"We all do," Hotch said as he looked at Penelope's sleeping form. He hated that it had gotten to this stage for them to act out. He hated even more that he had watched his team break under the death of a family member when he knew they were alive; he hated to see the strain at that one bit of detail. All he could do was build them back, protect where needed, be a friend everywhere else. He could only make it right and hope that Emily would come back to them soon. "Right, I'm going to go and find out what the others have got. See if we have any progress."

"Let me know yeah?" Derek asked him, and watched Hotch nod before leaving the room. He then turned his whole attention back to Penelope.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Later that day, Penelope watched Derek pace her room. She had counted his stride, how many steps he took, the distance he did, the length of time it took and realised it never altered. He was constant with his pace.

"You're going to pop a vein soon if you keep with the stressing," Penelope told him, her body feeling more alert to everything, her mind just wanting to get home. She was sitting up more, tubeless and freer than ever. On top of it she felt more herself and more ready to go home than she had in days.

"I'm fine," He deflected.

Penelope shook her head, "You're not fine. You've not been fine since Emily and this is just making it worse."

"Hospitals stress me out," Derek told her truthfully, "Not knowing how to keep you safe stresses me out more."

"You're looking after me now though; you're protecting me just by being here." Penelope told him, her face was still, but her eyes were keeping the truth and honesty high. She didn't want to be dependent on him, God she never wanted to be that, but at that moment he was her pillar, he was the one thing keeping her from caving and if he gave in, then she would too. "I don't expect 40 foot forts, knights in shiny armour guarding posts, a moat, a ring of fire. I just need to know that someone I trust is going to be all that rolled into one." She then tilted her head as he stood at the end of her bed, "I was hoping you'd be my noir hero in blood caked armour," she told him with a slight smile.

Derek melted into ease then. That one little saying that she held so dearly years ago, was one that she still held highly. He smiled and went over to her, "You make me worry." He said slowly sitting down, "I love you so much."

Penelope smiled coyly, not getting use to the new found influx of emotion in that little sentence, "I love you too," she replied. "Now promise me you'll stress less, because when you stress, I stress and I know that's not what's wanted for me."

"You so don't play fair, Goddess," He replied.

Penelope smirked then, her cheeky look gathering back in her eyes, "So I'm told." She said simply and watched him chuckle a little. In that moment all the stress left her, that one little laugh made her relax far more than anything else.

"Seems someone sent you flowers," One of the nurses said as she came in with a massive bouquet, flowers spilling out everywhere, of all different colours. Penelope and Derek both noted the over use of her favourite flowers and assumed they were from one of the team.

She put them down on the table that sat over Penelope's bed and handed over the card. "I'll be back in a moment to do your obs, Penelope." She left with a smile.

Penelope opened up the little envelope as she had with all the others and read aloud:

_You do not know how close I am, __**TA**__ Penelope Garcia_

"I want to go home now," Penelope said immediately, her hands shaking worse than ever, "I don't want to be here," She said as she showed signs of agitation and terror. "Please, Derek, I don't want to be in here any longer."

"I'm getting you home," He promised and got up and left the room for a moment, asking for the doctor to come down as soon as. Walking back in he saw Penelope in a flood of tears, her body rocking harshly at the sobs, "Hey, Baby Girl, we're going to get this sorted. He's going to go down for what he's done."

"Why is this happening to me?" She asked him in a low moan of a sob, "Why couldn't he have been done with attacking me. I have nothing for him."

Derek wrapped his arms around her body and held her close, rocking her soothingly, trying to calm her in every way he could think of, "He's playing games, Baby. That's all he's doing and he took on the wrong bunch of people to play them with."

Derek knew he wouldn't feel confident in that little bit of detail until he had her at his, where he had more control at what was happening.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	9. Strength Of A Team

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N: **_Thanks again guys! =) _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"I'm going to be right downstairs with the others okay?" Derek asked as he pulled the quilt over Penelope, "That's it, just downstairs."

Penelope pursed her lips, scanning the room quickly.

"The windows are locked, curtains shut, the door will be open, you've got my phone so you can call anyone of us if you need us, but we need to try and sort this out."

"I can help," Penelope tried, going to see up.

Derek pushed her back down, "Na uh, not on my watch you're not, Baby Girl." He told her, leant in and kissed her forehead, "You're home to rest, we're home to look after you and find this son of a bitch. You hear me?"

"I hear you," Penelope relented and slumped down in an act of defeat. "You wait until you're hurt next time."

"Who says there's going to be a next time?" Derek asked her with a quick smile.

"With you, Baby Boy, there's always a next time," She replied knowingly. "You seem to underestimate how much I know about you."

"Never forget," He responded as he stood, "I choose to ignore that a woman knows me like the back of her hand." He then walked towards the door, "Get some sleep, Princess." He said as he gave her a wink and then left the room, allowing her to settle down on her own.

Penelope lay there, she could hear them all consulting downstairs and she had to smile, they were all together again. She had noticed it when occasionally they were all gathered in the hospital together, they were all reconnecting with one another and it warmed her to see it.

She just hated the reason it happened under.

After all, she wanted them back on a good count, not a near death one, but she had to guess that it could only get better from here on out.

In that moment, she sat up, moving the quilt and sheets down her body, uncovering herself as she lay in her pyjamas and just sucked in a deep, painful breath and lifted up her top, surveying herself from head to toe, looking at the damage and she felt herself crumble.

This wasn't just a little, isolated bit of damage like when she was shot, this was head to toe damage. Damage that made her cringe, that made her heart twist at the mere sight, that made her mind travel back to their origins.

Pulling the quilt back up over her body, she lay back down and tried to forget what was happening in her life at that very moment because if she continued with her train of thought then she would slowly go insane.

She had faith in her superheroes to save another day, that was something that never really died, just something that morphed into something else. Something that they thought was normal until something brought them out of their grief and showed them the way.

For that, Penelope couldn't regret being a victim for.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"We actually have nothing to go on," JJ said as they looked at the notes, "Unless we use a tech." JJ continued, "And the only other one fast like Pen is Lynch and, to be honest, I don't want him roped in on this. Not after he used it to get one up at her."

"JJ's right," Derek agreed, "I don't want him on this either."

"I think we do," Hotch said and cross his arms over his chest, "Lynch wants a spot on this team, let's give him it and if he thinks it's permanent then he can think again."

"What are you trying to achieve here, Aaron?" Rossi asked, seeing a plan forming.

"Lynch made Penelope doubt our loyalties to one another, so much so she left believing that we were agents and she was just a tech. Well I say we show him just how deep our loyalties lie. He can help out, he can help us bust this case and make Penelope safe, but when it's all over and Penelope's better, he's going back to the tech pool."

"You're going to play him off against himself?" Derek asked, "I could have fun doing that." He finalised, because he would. Derek already knew that Kevin had used the fact that he had called him as a weapon against Penelope, and so he was going to make Kevin believe that they were new potential buddies of the team. He was going to see Kevin's downfall long before he saw it happening himself.

"We need to be careful with this though," Reid spoke up, "Kevin obviously likes the sense of stability and need, so we give him that. We need him to believe that we have complete faith in his job."

"So we let him help us, before we help ourselves sort of thing?" Ashley asked simply.

"Exactly," Hotch verified, "For now, I say we go to the BAU and start this," Hotch said collecting up everything, "No one says a thing to Lynch until I've briefed him, understood?"

When he received several nods he went for the door, everyone, bar Rossi and Morgan following him.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"Agent Reid," Kevin called out as he came out of Penelope's office, he had been waiting on them to come back.

Reid stopped, turned and watched as the clashing colour clad tech came towards him, "I just wanted to see how Penelope was. I heard she got released from the hospital."

Reid was wary of Kevin's sudden interest; he hadn't been this interested when the building had become alive with the news of Penelope's initial attack. He had almost kept to himself.

"It's just; we left it on a bad note. I wanted to apologise." Kevin continued, "To Penelope that is, I mean, we, just, you know how it happens sometimes. We had a crossfire and she winds up in hospital. I just wanted to know if she was up for visitors."

"I don't think that's wise at the moment, Kevin," Reid said apologetically, "We've, erm, we dealing with a few issues that need to remain uncomplicated at the moment. For the moment, Penelope needs her family."

Kevin nodded, "I-I see. Well it's good to see you're all getting back on track."

"Thank you," Reid said and looked into the bullpen as Hotch and JJ watched him, "I best go, we have a case."

"If you need anything, just call. I'm sure Penelope wants her attacker caught too."

"Yeah," Reid said and went for the handle of the door, "Hang on, no one else was briefed on that."

"I'm the stand in tech; I'm required to be up to date with all current affairs of the team." Kevin responded politely, "Penelope's case is one you're working on; I need to be ready to help if you need it."

"I'll let Hotch know," Reid said and pushed his way into the bullpen, something now quite settling right with him.

There was one thing Kevin had in mind as he went back to the office; he was sweetening the team up ready for his new reign as their TA.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	10. Vows and Promises

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N: **_As always –THANK YOU =) _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope got herself up several days later; she made herself walk towards the open doorway and head downstairs where Derek was washing up. She felt like any potential threat was gone as they hadn't heard anything or seen anything or received anything suspicious in the last couple of days.

The only hiccup they had were the oncoming nightmares and flashbacks she was getting. The ones in which Derek responded and cradled her through.

Penelope stood by one of the main walls in the house, looking at the photos displayed. She let her eyes roam the images and she felt her heart clench fiercely in her chest. Felt the memories and nostalgia wash over her; pulsating through her veins.

In the still frames were some of her most precious moments. Moments she held in her heart and healed her when nothing else seemed to be able too. As her eyes lay on a photo of the team, Emily in the middle on her birthday, she felt herself falter a bit. She needed Emily and her quirks right now, she needed her raven haired beauty and her quick wit, her ability to go from power mode to affectionate in the blink of an eye. She needed a complete family was what she needed.

"Penelope," Derek's voice came from behind her, his face full of worry, his voice reflecting the same emotion. "What you doing up and about, Baby Girl?" He asked her as he swooped in and guided her to the couch. "You know you're not meant to be up."

"I got lonely," She told him truthfully. "That's all, just got too lonely."

Derek sat down with her, "Understandable, but I was just coming back up." He told her as she sat back and he put his arm around her shoulders. "Wanna go back?"

Penelope looked back up at him and shook her head, "I just wanna sit here, Handsome." She then looked down at the coffee table, "Change of scenery." She added on nonchalantly.

"Wanna talk about it?" He asked her ambiguously.

"Talk about what exactly?" She asked as she looked up at him slowly.

Derek smiled a little, "Talk about whatever it is that's weighing on your mind so much."

Penelope sighed sadly, and tried to smile through the sadness, but failed. "I want everything to go back to being normal. I want us to be a family again, and have Emily here. I want to have the uncomplicated version of _this_."

At that moment, Derek had no remedies, no reassurances. All he had was emotional comfort, physical existence and undying love. He was limited on verbal rights, but he had to give it a try.

"When this is over, and you're all healed, it will be uncomplicated. It will get better; you just have to see that, Sweet Thing." Derek told her, "Plus, I think we're both delayed a vacation, so it's about time we sorted that and made it somewhere hot and far away."

Penelope smiled calmly, "That sounds like actually bliss right now," She closed her eyes and fell against him, feeling his arms wrap around her gently and securely. "Being anywhere with you had always been a perfect getaway for me."

Derek breathed a laugh, "Glad to know we both have the same fantasy destination, Goddess."

The doorbell going off disrupted their moment of domesticated, unharmed bliss. "I'll be right back, Princess," Derek said as he pressed a kiss to her forehead and then left her sitting on the couch.

Penelope sat and listened, her side remarkably cold from where Derek had left her side. It was moments like that, the temperature change when he left her side that made reality realer than ever. When she went from being calm and comfortable to being alone and vulnerable in a matter of seconds.

Derek shut the door and went back into the living room, a bunch of post in his hand, "That was weird," he said as he rummaged through it and froze.

"What's weird?" Penelope asked him and she sat up a little, "What's a matter?"

"Well, my neighbour, Mrs Dubronski, she had my mail," He began to shake his head, "And there's mail in here for you too," He said and looked up at Penelope's now paled features, her lips that were just gaining their colour were now pinched with anxiety, slowly going white.

"Gimme," She instinctively put a hand out as she said that. Her tone was sharp, albeit a little shaky, "Let me open them."

"Baby," Derek worried, "Maybe I should open them."

Penelope's brow furrowed, "You can't keep me in the dark with this," She said as she shuffled to the edge of the couch, readying to stand, "You cannot start putting me in a corner out of the way to protect me. I know what's going on, so just give me the damn letters."

Derek quickly went to her and handed her the two letters, carefully watching her.

At that moment, Penelope felt confident, she felt brave but the moment her finger slipped under the slight lip of the sealed envelope, ready to open it, she felt her courage falter. She just knew she had to make it through this moment.

Looking up at Derek, she finally made the harsher movement and made the first rip. She then opened the entire thing, her eyes finally dropping from Derek's gaze.

Pulling the lone piece of paper out, she read aloud like the others had been.

_You do have one interesting life, Penelope. _

By the time Penelope had registered anything of what she had just read she was picking up the next letter; tearing it piece to piece to get the contents out of the envelope. Hearing Derek, she ignored him as he continued his ramble to Hotch; she just needed to know what was going on.

_Our time together wasn't a one off._

Slowly Penelope became aware of the room she was in, of Derek's concern, of his presence. She looked up at him with wide eyes, terror ignited in the orbs of her irises.

"I can't repeat that night," She whispered terrified as Derek took the note and read it, her voice quaked with oncoming tears. "Please, Derek, don't make it happen again." She felt the room seemingly begin to move in, the walls getting closer than ever. She felt a sharp tightness in her chest as her breathing began to race with pure fear.

"Hotch I gotta go," Derek said and snapped his phone shut as he saw Penelope's struggle. Dropping next to her, he pulled her hands into his lap and made her look at him, "Pen, I need you calm down and breathe normally. I need you to take a deep breath and calm. I know right now you're scared and I understand why you would be, but this isn't helping you."

In all honesty, Derek was petrified himself at seeing her struggle so much with her breathing and nerves.

"I promise you this now, he is never getting anywhere near you again."

"Please don't break that promise," She began to sob as her chest loosened some and she dissolved into floods of tears, her pained chest still heaving at the new found reason of breathlessness.

Derek took her into his arms, "I will never break that." He vowed and he knew that if anything, he would be the one next one to get near the man behind this.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Kevin watched the team running around the bull pen and just turned on his heels and went back to Penelope's office.

As he sat down and took out a file from the bottom drawer he smiled to himself.

"Let's see how you like this one," He mumbled as he took a new note and slid into an envelope. Sealing it shut, he got up, took a deep breath and ran from the office ready to alert the team of a new letter arriving for Penelope.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	11. Befriending Evil

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N: **_So glad you guys like =) Thanks as always =)_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"How's Pen?"

Derek shrugged, "I never realised how needy she could be," he moaned as he leant against the desk. "I think once this is sorted and we have the guy that did this then we're going to have to set some boundaries."

"With Penelope?" Kevin asked somewhat shocked. "From what I heard you two were near enough shacking up."

Derek balked, "Unlikely. We're too different. I need someone so different than her and I realised that all the time she's around, I'm never going to find the one, you know, like your Angelica."

"Ahh Angelica," Kevin mused happily as he sat back, "Pen's never gonna be the girl that you can imagine an entire future with. She's not worth that much." He shrugged and turned his chair to look up at Derek, "So did he do a good mess of her?"

"Did who?" Derek questioned.

"Her attacker," Kevin answered plainly, "I mean, I've seen the reports, medical and police ones, and it looks like quite a lot of damage." He continued calmly, "And now the letters, surely that's just going to wind her up in hospital. You'll never get rid of her at this rate, Morgan."

Derek surveyed Kevin's seriousness, and his stomach churned, "Well, mend her up and send her packing, eh man?" Derek said, a slight smirk on her lips. "If anything, I think Emily's death really opened our eyes to a lot of things. A lot of additional freedom, the idea of change." Derek mused.

"Sure did, showed me the love of my life," Kevin chuckled a little, "Maybe, you never know, once you get Penelope off your hip, you might meet the girl that makes you crazy in love. Wouldn't that be the day?"

"Really would," Derek chucked in.

Kevin looked at the computers as they bleeped and turned to them and started to work, even aware of Derek watching over his shoulder. He worked hastily, and vigilantly.

"What you working on?" Derek asked curiously as he looked down at his watch, knowing he had to be heading back to his house soon. "Not over working you too are they?" He joked lightly, "Don't want you heading down the same route Penelope was."

Kevin looked up, "Burn out's not my middle name." He told him truthfully, "Plus, I don't get involved with team mates."

"Believe me, Lynch; I won't be calling you Baby Girl anytime soon." Derek chucked back at him as he straightened up, stretching some, "So what you got going on?"

"Just some team B work," Kevin shrugged, "Nothing much really." He told Derek as he leant down to bottom drawer of the desk and fished around.

Looking down in the drawer as Kevin opened it to grab something, Derek noticed handwriting he noticed, paper he recognised and his gut twisted. His senses sharpened and he needed to remove himself from the room before he let his actions speak louder than his words.

"Run the CCTV tapes again, I know it was broken, but you can go back along the timeline to before the camera was broke. You might be able to get an ID from it, see the attacker as he damaged the camera." Derek instructed as he got ready to leave.

"Where's the fire?" Kevin questioned him suspiciously, making him stop in his tracks.

"Like I said, I need her out of my life," Derek said and left the office, his body seething at what his mind was piecing together slowly. He wanted to get to the heart of why Kevin was after getting rid of Penelope, he might have been no closer to finding that out, but he was sure he had found out that Penelope's main torment was going to stop soon.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Derek walked into his house a little heavy hearted. Even though it wasn't conclusive just yet, he had a feeling that Kevin was the one that was making them believe Penelope's attacker was closing in on them. He paused as he closed the front door behind him; he then leant against it and sighed.

He didn't know if telling her would cause her more or less stress. He knew that the latter was the fantasy he would keep until he told her, but for now, he could keep her in the same mind frame. None the wiser.

After all, what she didn't know, didn't hurt her and, God, he didn't want to hurt her further than she already was.

"Derek?" JJ's voice came from the living room and he looked just in time to see her standing in the doorway. "You're back early?"

"Well we did what we needed," He said as he pushed off of the wooden door and went towards her, "How's she doing?"

JJ shrugged nonchalantly, "She's scared, Derek. She's scared, she's in a lot of pain and she feels like she's the one still losing control." JJ looked up into Derek's eyes, her own sorrow matching hers, "I think this might just kill Penelope." JJ felt her eyes water at that, her own fear of seeing Penelope's sparkle disappear happening before her eyes. "I can't lose her."

Derek didn't know what to do then, as he watched his friend begin to cry he stepped in and took JJ in his arms, allowing their anguishes to collide with one another.

As he looked into the living room, he saw that Penelope was sleeping soundly on the couch, her face serene in her slumber, her body protected from the coolness of the house by a blanket, her body completely stilled apart from her slow breathing.

"We only lose Penelope, if we lose," Derek said as he kept his eyes set on Penelope. "She's not going to lose if we can help it."

"How can you say that?" JJ asked in disbelief, "We allowed it to happen once and look where it got us. Our friend injured when she was at one of her all time lowest. She got attacked thinking we didn't think she was capable any longer, that says more about us than her. We found it easy enough to judge her than to help her how we used to. We usually ask each other how we're doing, Derek. We usually actually allow them the chance to scream for help, but the one time we just do and we get it wrong."

"It can only get better," Derek optimised knowing full well that they had hurt Penelope in the worse way possible that they could. How inadequate she had felt in those moments in the run up to her attack, how Kevin had wormed his way into her doubt of them and allowed his words to turn into venom.

Separating, JJ cleared her throat of apprehension, "There was a letter left outside earlier," She simply said and went to the kitchen to retrieve it. She then back to him and passed it over. "That's only gone and put the fear of Christ up her even more."

Derek tore it open, no expectancy to it, no surprise withheld at its potential contents.

_I'll be more than your nightmares soon, Penelope_

As he read the letters, his mind swamped with the drawer in Penelope's office. He knew what he had to do; he went into Penelope, sat on the edge of the table and slowly ran a hand over Penelope's bruised face, slowly coercing her out of her sleep.

Penelope groaned in discomfort and disapproval of being woken up.

"Baby, I just need a quick question answered and then you can go back to sleep." He asked her and slowly her eyes opened, showing him that the whites had turned red from the stress and watershed she had continually done. He sighed heavily at the adverse effects this was doing, the toll it was taking, the hindrance on her recovery and he vowed in that one exhale that he would make sure he would help her sleep later knowing that she wasn't being targeted.

"What's wrong, Handsome?" She asked him croakily as she sat up awkward, a grunt of pain escaping.

"I want you to lay back down and rest, but I need to know the code for you office." He asked her, knowing she changed it on a regular basis, "I need access to something in your office."

"Derek..." She started to question him as confusion swept her numbed mind.

"Don't ask questions right now, Princess, just trust your man." Within minutes he had the code and after settling her he was out of the door again in a haste that worried Penelope.

Even she knew something big was going down.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

It didn't take Derek long to get Kevin lured out of the office so he could go in. He needed Kevin out of the way, and Rossi managed to get the perfect distraction; a wild goose chance for a paper based file that didn't exist.

He went into the room and looked at how it had changed, how Kevin was already stamping his claim in Penelope's sanctuary.

Yanking the drawer open he pulled out what he needed, obviously Derek was more than a little trusted by Kevin seeing as nothing had been moved or hidden. He grabbed the notes and read them to himself, 'I can almost smell you again, Penelope', 'He can't always protect you in that house of his', 'You're going to be left alone sometime soon and when you are...'.

Derek felt bile rise in his throat, felt his anger levels sky rocket and he walked out the office and went to Hotch. Handing the stuff over he then went hunting for Lynch and almost smiled in glee as he saw Kevin exiting the elevator alone. Completely oblivious to his impending doom.

"You weedy geek!" Derek ground out, "What the fuck do you think you are playing at messing with her like that. You think you wouldn't be found out? That we wouldn't realise?" Derek asked as he pushed him to a wall and put his hand around his neck, lifting slightly so Kevin was nearing tip toes.

Kevin's throat tightened against Derek's grip, his breaths getting shorter and sharper, "Yo-you to-old me-e," Kevin started and fought against Derek, try to pry him off. He saw Penelope come in behind them, JJ by her side and he knew he had been lied to. In the moment Derek loosened some, he took this moment to have his opportunity, "You told me you couldn't wait to get rid of Penelope from your life. How needy she was, how she wasn't going to help you get a woman that you could love. You even said once she was better you were setting boundaries to get rid of her."

Kevin saw Penelope's heartbroken expression, and then he saw stars as the world went dark.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	12. Ugly Truths

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N:** _Nearing an end guys! Just a few things to clear up! Thanks for the reviews as always =) You lot rock! ;)_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope didn't know how to feel at that moment. Everything she had built back up with Derek seemed to be futile, seemed to have been a lie. She couldn't stop the doubt from creeping up in her, for making her want to just run, but as Derek moved she was transfixed with staring at him.

Giving him the benefit of the doubt.

"One thing you didn't anticipate was that we were going to play you against your own game," Derek spat at Kevin as he slowly opened his eyes, his hand going to his jaw. "You thought we'd really just give up on one of our own." He crouched down, leering over Kevin, "Now listen here _Lynch_," He spoke with anger, and venom, "Penelope's gonna be around here a lot longer than you, she's going to be a part of this team for even longer and to top it all, she's going to be mine. I won't let anyone hurt her and God forbid that if I ever hurt her in any way, shape or form, that I feel the consequences of it." He stood up then, "You watch her walk away, and you never so much as breathe near her again. Do I make myself clear?"

Kevin knew it was bold, but he shook his head, "I think that's Penelope's choice who she would rather have," He then looked at Penelope, and for the first time saw the damage she was sporting, the bruising marring her face and neck, the cuts, the sadness in her eyes and then he just watched her give him one last look before she disappeared into the bullpen.

He knew he was going to be haunted by that look, there was so much more in there than words could ever say. He saw, for the first time, what he had left her with and what he had cast upon her with his antics.

"I guess that says it all," Derek said and went to follow her.

Before he got there, Kevin had gotten to his feet and rushed after Penelope, "I did it to make you notice me!" He shouted at her, "I thought if I slept with someone else you'd finally see me, but it didn't work, so I scared you with the notes and all I've done is scare you and hurt you more. Penny, I'm sorry for that."

"I can't," Penelope told him, her voice so quiet and calm it was scary, "I can't forgive you for this, Kevin. Not after everything." She told him as the tears began to rise and fall. "I don't know what I did to deserve that treatment, but I thought that at least I meant more to you than someone that could be manipulated and terrorised by someone that once loved me." She was shaking then, as Derek stepped in to support her, JJ still at her side, "You used what had happened to me to benefit yourself so for that I can't accept any apology, I'm sorry."

Finishing, she turned trying to get a getaway and found herself being guided into Hotch's office, Hotch's arm around her protectively. It didn't take long for her to be sat down and surrounded by those that matter.

"You okay, Bella?" Rossi asked as he came in and handed her a glass of water, "Get that down you and relax. We've got this sorted."

Penelope smiled faintly, "Thanks," She said and looked at them all, "For everything." Everyone batted the appreciation off, they were a family after all and thanks and gratitude wasn't a necessity but Penelope couldn't just bat it away. Ever since the attack they had all been there in their vital ways.

She looked down at the water, seeing it moving with her shakes she sighed, trying to ignore the pains, "He's still out there."

"Baby," Derek said as he sat next to her, putting his hand on her arm gently, "We know he's not after you. You were just someone random to him after all."

Penelope nodded, jumping as Hotch's cell went off in his jacket pocket, excusing himself they all watched as he left quickly answering the call as he went. Soon everyone left, leaving Derek alone with Penelope, all going about business as Hotch ordered them too just as he finished the call.

"You okay, Sweetness?" Derek asked Penelope as he tucked a lose strand of hair behind her ear.

Penelope nodded, "Did you really want to get rid of me?" She asked and looked up, heart break filling her expression, "Did you mean that I'm needy, how I'm not going to let you get another woman in your life? Am I really ruining your life in that way?"

Derek just smiled at her innocence, "I never want to get rid of you, I love your neediness because usually you're so super independent I don't get a chance to rule you," He watched Penelope laugh lightly at that, "I like you under my power for a bit," He teased her and tapped her nose playfully, before putting his hand under her chin to keep her looking at him. "I'm never going to get another woman when the one I want is right here, right with me, right where I need her and you never ruined my life, ever. You brightened it, made it breathable, made it perfect."

Looking at her face, at the slowly disappearing doubts Derek did the one thing he could. He leant in and captured Penelope's lips with his, kissing her slowly and delicately before gaining heaviness, plying the pressure of a perfect first kiss.

Penelope's heart fluttered and the butterflies in her stomach flew about wildly, the breath she was losing was causing her pain, but for once the pain was worth the moment. The realism of the kiss squashed anything negative and she wanted to keep it going for as long as she could.

"That's just a baby kiss," Derek murmured as he pulled away, "Next time I'll set the butterflies free."

"I like the butterflies," Penelope mused dreamily.

"Well next time I'll make you see stars and fireworks," He told her promisingly.

Penelope giggled, "Who said I didn't see them already?

Derek sat up a little straighter, looking at her and for once he saw happiness in her eyes, pure happiness, one that wasn't sidelined with worry or stress or panic. Just pure unadulterated happiness.

The door opened, breaking the moment, "Can we borrow you both before we send you home?" Rossi asked, "It's good news."

"C'mon Baby," Derek said as he stood and put his hands out to help her, he worried as he watched her struggle, "I still don't get why you came here. You should be resting."

Penelope smiled through the pain, "I was stressing so much, Jajye caved and brought me here. I knew something was up, I just needed to know." She told him honestly and the pair of them followed Rossi out of the office and down the landing towards the conference room.

Walking in, the attention was all on Penelope, a new lease of life among the team, "Penelope," Hotch started in his usual demeanour, "I know this is distressing enough, but I've just been emailed a picture of a man who's just been arrested for an assault and mugging. He matches the-"

"Put it up," Penelope mastered, her fear galloping in her chest, everyone looked at her wary, not knowing if this was a good idea of not. "I want to know if I can sleep easy so please put it up and let's get it over with."

Hotch nodded and put sorted so the picture was up on the flat screen. Again all attention went from the screen to Penelope. Derek, again stepped in, took note and went to her side, putting his arm around her to steady her.

Penelope's head was nodding before words made it to her mouth, everything about the mug shot in front of them all brought about the memories of that night. "That's him," she spoke clearly and Hotch was back on the phone closing the case. "That's the man that attacked me."

Derek was readying for the tears, the tears that weren't even becoming known. Penelope was calm and for once she looked even more at ease about the entire event. He loosened his grip, allowing her the space to do what she needed; now she was free of worry and panic.

As she heard the good news, she couldn't help but smile slowly, even as her chest grew tight from the adrenaline draining from her body; she felt uneasy for a moment but continued to smile some.

Then one moment she was standing and the next she was falling, barely being caught by Derek.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	13. Having Each Others

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N:**_ So I left you all with a cliff hanger... I have no remorse ;) Enjoy! _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"I thought I told you I didn't want to have to be pacing hospital corridors again," Derek said as he sat on the bed next to Penelope.

Penelope smiled lightly, "Don't blame me, blame my stupid body," she told him playfully. "Plus how was I to know I was going to collapse like that?" She asked with a pout, giving him the look of pure innocence, "I don't plan scare tactics that well, I just do them."

Derek laughed, "Well it worked," he paused and moved in closer, "Again."

Looking at Derek, she saw the strain this was all having on him and her heart pounded a little harder than it already was. She was causing him pain unintentionally and yet he was still here, by her side, looking after her.

She remembered when she collapsed and he caught her, sitting with her cradled in his lap, soothing her as JJ rang for an ambulance. She remembered how her breathing got tight and she heaved each new breath uncomfortably, but never did Derek allow her to panic. He kept her with him and he remained by her side all the time they went to the hospital. He stuck by her as the doctor said the stress had weighed too heavily on her body and caused the breathing problems and he didn't even leave her side as she remained in hospital for another couple of days. And to top it all, when she woke up, she caught him watching her tentatively, offering her the biggest smile ever.

Now here she was, in his bed again with him willing to give her the best post-hospital care she had ever experienced.

Leaning in, Derek ran a hand around her face, getting a clear look, "Sure you're okay? You're looking a little peaky there."

"I'm fine, Handsome. Just tired and ready to fast track this recovery."

"No fast tracking, baby, no way." He told her back, refusing to allow her to cut this recovery short. "I am not having a repeat of the other day. You collapsed from stress and standing too long, the doctor said not to do either and we railroaded you with both."

"Kevin railroaded me," Penelope pointed out sadly, "Not you, you lot tried to divert that from happening."

"Whoever, it doesn't matter. You still collapsed and I refuse to watch that happen again." He demanded softly, "You hear me?" He asked and she nodded lightly, "I'm going to sort Clooney out then I'm coming to bed. Think you can try and sleep before now and then or am I going to be finding you waiting up?"

"Stupid question, my own personal nurse," Penelope teased him with a smile, but from Derek's expression she caved, "I'll try and sleep."

"You're learning fast, Princess," He told her, making her giggle before he leant in and kissed her. He was teasing her with these, each and every one of them gained a little bit of momentum, heat, lust, passion. He was waiting on her lungs and ribs to be fully healed before he finally showed her pure unadulterated, never-ending love.

"Come to bed soon," Penelope murmured breathlessly as he pulled back and began to stand, "This baby girl wants her chocolate knight."

"I'll be as quick as I can," He promised her and rushed out of the room after taking just one more kiss from her lips.

Derek contemplated everything that had happened within the last week. From the sudden realisation that life was nothing but a nightmare, to finding out Penelope was in critical condition in hospital, to watching her life take a terrifying turn, to protecting to her, to loving her. He remembered the moment his phone ran and he was woken from his disturbed sleep. Picking up the phone he listened to them ask if he was Derek Morgan and once confirmed he remembered them telling him about how Penelope had been admitted after being assaulted and mugged and how he was her next of kin and it was best he got to the hospital. He remembered how sick he felt, how in the early morning darkness he was struck with the reality that he barely knew how Penelope was holding up recently and only now as it was thrust upon him did he realise what neglect he had subjected her too. However, that all changed when he reached the hospital and paced, just wanting to start their life again, tell her everything he had wanted to, make everything right again.

Pausing, he remembered the moment he was allowed into her room, seeing her temporarily depend on all the hospital had to offer crippled him and he regretted letting life get this out of hand.

Shaking his head, Derek thought to Penelope sleeping upstairs and sprung to life. She was alive, and life was better than ever. He had her how he wanted her, her heart was his and for once his heart was hers, truly hers, safe and secure. Smiling he made his way to feed Clooney looking forward to holding Penelope in his arms.

This time as the woman he planned to spend the rest of his life with and not the woman he was trying to keep with him as her body threatened the balance of life.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Believing the Devil's Advocate -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"I didn't let the hospital call you at first," Penelope whispered into the night air, "And looking back, I was selfish to do that, to not let you have a chance. I left it until I thought I wasn't going to survive to beg for you." She turned a little, putting her hand to his chest, "In all the panic, I only wanted you, Derek. I needed you there and I thought I had royally screwed. What if I'd died lonely?"

"I thought we had been over this, Baby?" Derek asked her back gently, because they had. "We sorted this all out."

"I guess having you all around me at the hospital, not moving, made me realise that whatever you guys would've been there for me."

"We're a family," He replied soothingly, "We just needed a wakeup call, and you needed one too, but you didn't need it from Lynch or from the bastard that hurt you. It shouldn't have taken this."

Penelope smiled briefly, "About five minutes before Lynch fed me that seed of doubt, I decided I was going to bring us together. Do something big and family orientated, like old times. I just wanted us back as one, but he completely threw me and I needed to get out of there. I needed to leave and wash away the pain that was building up."

"Well I hope you can wash it away now, Goddess," He mumbled sleepily as he kissed the top of her head.

Penelope snuggled down in that moment, "I can't even wash myself at the moment, Handsome, so it's hard to wash the rest of it away."

"Good thing I'm around then," Derek whispered as he finally began to succumb to sleep more and more. "I'm quite good at washing."

Penelope laughed, "Good to know," She whispered, feeling herself becoming more and more sleepy, then as her last moment of consciousness ebbed away she said the one of the things that meant more than the world itself to her, "Thank you for coming back to me."

Derek didn't respond verbally, his grip around her tightened some and that said it all for her at that moment.

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	14. Getting It All Back

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N:** _So last chapter guys! Here's your epilogue!_

_Thanks for all the reviews, alerts and favourites, you lot rock! _

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Penelope stretched out in the morning light, smiling peacefully before turning on her side, putting her back to the window.

"Still very much like a feline y'know that?" Derek asked as he watched her, he watched her open an eye at her, "My own little sex kitten."

"Better watch out for that mouth," Penelope mumbled sleepily, "My husband might get jealous."

Smirking, Derek leant in and moved a bit of hair back off of her face, "Oh is that so?" He asked simply and Penelope nodded and smiled, her eyes still closed.

"But it's okay, he's not the possessive type," She told him as she finally opened her eyes, waking up bit by bit. "He knows I'm faithful."

"Sorry to break that, but last night proved otherwise, Baby Girl," Derek teased her as she began to sit up, the sheet loosely hanging onto her body.

Penelope laughed then and leant in and kissed him, falling against him as her body weakened from feeling his lips kiss her with such passion, then pulling back she rested against him, "You've got the best kisses I have ever felt."

"Mm, I could say the same thing about yours, Baby," He said and stole another one, and then searched her eyes for a moment, "Are you happy?"

Pushing off of him for a moment, she looked at his expression as it drew with seriousness, "What do you mean am I happy? I've never been happier than I am right now, Handsome."

Nodding he took her hand, "I mean getting married without the others here, without my mom, anyone. Was it a perfect surprise for you?"

Smiling, Penelope felt her eyes water, "It was more than perfect." She told him and smiled brightly, "It was everything I could've dreamt it be and more, Hot Stuff and I love you for it."

Penelope could never show Derek how much she loved the way he had taken her on holiday, spent every waking moment with her and arrange their wedding. In amongst getting drinks or the newspaper or other tad bits, he had stung together a candlelit beach wedding at dusk, complete with flowers and a dress and had even made it a valid marriage. He hadn't given her the fantasy of a wedding for them to go home and it not be legit. Even though she would've been more than happy with their marriage certificate on a post-it, just to know she was Derek Morgan's one true love was enough to sate her.

"It was absolutely perfect," She told him again and kissed him before withdrawing before she got carried away. "Now I have a secret for you," She said as she climbed off the bed, taking one of the sheets with her, keeping it wrapped around her.

Watching her go towards where her suitcase was he rose an eyebrow, "What is it exactly?" He questioned her, slightly bewildered. "I mean for it to be in your suitcase..."

Turning, Penelope took a deep breath, "Grab your watch and give me some support while I do this," She simply said as she held up a pregnancy test.

"You're pregnant?" He asked, trying not to let the smile and excitement break loose.

"Well, I don't know, that's what's this is for, Handsome," Penelope said as she went towards the bathroom shaking the test within its box, "Now come here, Baby Boy and hold your wife's hand."

Jumping up he could feel his body become alive with nerves and even more excitement, "Are you nervous, Baby?" He asked, his tone incredulous, "I thought you didn't get nervous?" He teased after hearing her say she wasn't nervous as they were getting married, even though her hands were shaking the entire time.

"Unbelievably," She said as she turned to him, tearing open the box, "This is what you want right? Like now, in life."

"I want it more than anything else in the world, Pen. I got you as my wife at last, this would really complete it," He answered her as he closed their secluded hotel room off and shut the door.

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"So this isn't weird," Penelope mumbled miserably as they stepped out of the elevator only three days later. It was her day back in coming on months, and she was full of mixed emotions, but she was ready to claim her throne as the team's oracle.

"You'll do fantastically and you know it," Derek said as he walked by her side towards the bull pen.

"So the prodigal pair arrives," Rossi said as he came up the corridor, "Starting to forget what you looked like." He joked with them, "How's it feel to be back where you belong, Penelope?"

"I'm not going to lie to you, my favourite Italian man; it's weird and kind of unnerving."

Rossi shot her a reassuring look, "You need to keep faith in your ability, Bella. _We do_." He told her in his usually manner, "So you should be feeling brilliant."

Penelope looked up at Derek as his arm snaked around her back in a bid to pull her close, "I guess morning sickness is to blame after all then." Penelope spoke so casually that she had to watch the shock on Rossi's face as it slowly seeped through to the surface.

Slowly he laughed, shaking his head, "She was only just given full recovery a couple of months ago and already she's pregnant, Derek? What's your secret? Might have saved my marriages," Rossi said a little too loudly, albeit it happily and congratulatory, as the rest of the team came out of the bull pen. In that moment all welcomes were forgotten as shock settled between them.

"Beginners luck," Penelope added with a cheeky grin and a slight shrug, "Plus, I'm guessing the world's just been dying for a baby of mine and Derek's perfect DNA that they were done waiting on it to happen." She added with a playfully excited wink.

JJ laughed, "Actually the world was just waiting on you two to sort your act out and finally get married, the rest was bound to happen," She looked at Pen's hand and smirked, "And I guess you didn't prove us wrong when we said you were going to get married while away." She shot Penelope a look that said more than words. Penelope knew she was going to taken kidnap when JJ got her chance and she knew she was going to be grilled for answers and details.

Hotch, Rossi, Ashley and Reid all smirked, agreeing and began to walk away from Penelope and Derek with JJ.

"Hey!" Derek yelled out as he took Penelope's hand in his and followed them, "What's that meant to mean? We didn't prove you wrong?"

"I think our games up, Stud," Penelope stopped him, "The whole illusions gone." She played up the sadness of the moment, joking with the moment.

"Illusion? What illusion?" Derek quizzed her as he stopped confused.

"We're not a formidable teasing machine of two best friends," She told him with a smirk on her lips, "We're a formidable teasing machine of a married couple," Penelope looked to see if the others were looking. Satisfied they were she stepped in closer, a hand going to his chest, the other up his chest and over his shoulder to cradle the base of his head, "Which is worse, believe me." She whispered before going up on the tips of her toes some to kiss him in full view of them.

"Now that we didn't bet on," Hotch said shaking his head before going into the bull pen, leaving Penelope and Derek to it.

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**THE END!**

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